Nadal, Federer reach Doha semis
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former world No. 1 stars Rafael Nadal opening $1.024 million Qatar Open.
The top-seeded Nadal ripped 31 winners and got past seventh-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 6-4 in 1 hour, 49 minutes.
Nadal was up a set and leading comfortably at 4-1 in the second before the gritty Youzhny mounted a comeback, of sorts. The Russian picked up his first, and only, break of the match to pull within 4-2 and had break points in the ninth game, trailing 5-4, only to see the mighty Spaniard pull through with a match-ending hold.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 25-year-old Nadal, who is now 9-4 lifetime against Youzhny, including a victory here in Doha back in 2005, now awaits the Gael Monfils-Viktor Troicki winner.
Nadal is the reigning French Open champion, was last year's Wimbledon and U.S. Open runner-up, and was a Doha finalist in 2010.
The three-time overall and reigning Doha champion Federer was tested by eighth-seeded Italian Andreas Seppi on Day 4, as the iconic Swiss posted a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 decision on the hardcourts at Khalifa International Tennis Complex.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It was tough, I started well and was able to take control. In the second set he started to hit the ball better and in the third it was close," Federer said.
Federer, who dialed up 12 aces and broke Seppi's serve five times en route to victory, is now 8-0 lifetime against the Italian, who had never taken a set off the Swiss before Thursday. Federer also bested Seppi here in Doha three years ago.
The Swiss superstar has now won his last 20 matches overall, dating back to the latter stages of last season.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 16-time major champion Federer beat Russian Nikolay Davydenko in last year's Doha finale.
The second-seeded former world No. 1 Federer will battle third-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga here on Friday. Tsonga leveled helpless Spaniard Albert Ramos 6-2, 6-1 in 67 minutes on Thursday.
Federer beat Tsonga in the final at last year's season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London and also bested the Frenchman in the semis here in Doha in 2011.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I'm looking forward to playing him," Federer said of Tsonga. "I hope we can live up to expectations."
The newest Doha champion will earn $175,380.